From the Rittenberg/Bennett Twitter feed:
Louis Freeh, leading off his press conference: "We are here today because a terrible tragedy was allowed to occur over many years at Penn State University."
Freeh: "All of us here understand it is the duty of adults to protect children and to immediately report any suspected child sex abuse."
Freeh: "We have shown no favoritism toward any of the parties, including the board of trustees, our client."
Freeh: "Mr. Spanier said he and the board never had a discussion about the Cleary Act until Novemer 2011"
Freeh reiterates that Schultz, Paterno, Curley and Spanier never showed any concern for welfare of Sandusky's victims until after charges.
Freeh: Paterno aware of '98 investigation, followed it closely but failed to take any action. At very least Paterno could have alerted staff
Freeh: "None of these four men took any responsible action after February 2001" except Curley telling Second Mile, Sandusky showered w/ boy
Freeh: Around time of arrests (Sandusky, Schultz, Curley), Spanier unwilling to give board more info than what he told public.
Freeh says failure went from top to bottom at PSU. Cited janitor's fear of reporting Sandusky sexual assault, didn't want to be fired.
Freeh: Added 119 recommendations. One of most important is for PSU to study itself, evaluate and make any other additional needed changes.
Freeh: No evidence found that indicates Sandusky retirement and all elements related to removing him or silencing him.
Freeh: "The rapes of these boys occurred in the Lasch Building. Paterno had his offices in the Lasch Building."
Board failed, too. Freeh: "They did not create an atmosphere where senior offices and presidents felt they were accountable to the board."
Freeh: "There’s more red flags here than you could count over a period of time."
Freeh: "What’s striking about 1998 is nobody even spoke to Sandusky, none of those four, including the coach, who was a few steps away."
Freeh says bad publicity was "pervasive and concern and fear by people running the university. “
Freeh re Paterno: "The Attorney General has a different standard with respect to whether to charge or whether or not to charge."
Freeh talks of janitor, a Korean War vet, who saw one of Sandusky's rape and called it worst thing he ever saw. Still too scared to report
Freeh on whether Paterno's firing was justified: "Yes."
Freeh on Paterno: "It’s a person with a terrific legacy. …He...made perhaps the worst mistake of his life, but we’re not singling him out."
Freeh: "I wish we had had the opportunity to speak with him." … Found the key emails after Paterno died.
Freeh: Tried to speak to Sandusky. He did not want to speak with us. Assistant DA who declined prosecution didn’t want to speak.
Freeh if Paterno could have stopped abuse: "It’s a strong and reasonable inference that he could have done so if he wished."
